Hose coupling with ribbed socket



Sept. 2, 1958 2,850,302

S. R. BILLINGSLEY l HOSE COUPLING WITH RIBBEID SOCKET I 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 16, 1953 Sep't. 2, 1958 s. R. BILLINGSLEY 2,850,302

HosE coUPLING WITH RIBBED SOCKET Filed sept. 16, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 l .1N VEN TOR est 59,302 Patented Sept. 2, 1955 Luzi asseoz nose courante Wren aan sooner Samuei R. Biliingsley, Fort Worth, Tex., assigner to Stratoalex, inc., Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Ter-:as

Application September 16, 1953, Serial No. Sdoi 2 Claims. (Cl. l-Zi' The invention relates to hose fittings and more particularly to hose fittings for use on high pressure hose.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel fitting of the foregoing character, which eifectively grips the end of the hose without danger of leakage and without damaging the hose in such a Way that it would be weakened.

Another object is to provide a novel fitting which holds the hose in proper relation to the parts of the tting while the parts are being assembled on the hose, to avoid improperly assembled fittings.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a novel hose fitting comprising a socket member and a nipple member, tde socket member being provided with internal means for gripping and holding the hose against endwise movement relative thereto While the nipple member is being moved into assembled relation with the socket member and hose.

A further object is to provide a novel method of assembling a hose tting of the foregoing character on a hose.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational View, partially in section, of a hose fitting embodying the features of the invention and applied to the end portion of a piece of hose;

Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, are longitudinal sectional views showing the steps of assembling the fitting on the hose;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of one of the socket members of the fitting;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the position of the hose when first inserted in the socket member;

Figs. 8 to ll, inclusive, are longitudinal sectional views showing the steps of assembling another form of fitting on a hose; and

Fig. l2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the fitting shown in Figs. 8 to ll, with the fitting completely assembled on the hose.

A fitting embodying the invention is of the type which is adapted to be used with so-called high pressure hose and is of such character that it is capable of withstanding high pressures under severe operating conditions. Hose with fittings of this character is frequently used in modern aircraft, as well as many other types of installations, for carrying various types of liquids. The hose with which the present fitting is adapted to be used is of the type which has a thick rubber wall or which may have one or more layers of wire braid, as well as fabric, embedded in the rubber.

For uses of the character mentioned above, it is absolutely essential that the fitting be properly assembled with the hose to avoid any chance of leakage under the high pressure involved and to clamp or hold the hose in such a manner that the hose is not unduly weakened by the pressure exerted upon it by the fitting. Furthermore, the end portion of the hose which carries the fitting must be held so that there is Vno Vsubs,tantial restriction to flow of fluid through the hose.

A fitting embodying the features of the invention can be properly applied to the end of the hose without requiring any great skill on the part of the person making the assembly, with assurance that the parts will all bear the proper relationship to each other and to the end portion of the hose. With many of the fittings that have been heretofore provided for this purpose, it has been found that improper assembly occurs in many instances without it being apparent to the person making the assembly. This arises generally because of the fact that the end portion of the hose is enclosed in a socket member which conceals such end portion, and the person making the assernbly cannot readily determine, after the assembly is made, whether the hose has the proper relationship internally to the parts of the tting. Usually, the defect resulting from improper assembly is discovered only after the hose line is assembled with other apparatus and is subjected to the pressure of the liquid carried thereby. The danger in this regard is apparent if the hose line is adapted to carry fuel or other infiammable liquids. Of course, even in the case of non-inflammable liquids, failure of the fitting because of improper assembly will result in improper functioning of the apparatus to which it is attached. in at least one serious airplane accident which occurred in recent years, it was found on investigation after that accident that the hose fittings had been improperly assembled as above described.

it is therefore apparent that the end portion of the hose must be accurately positioned within the fitting and held while the parts of the fitting are being assembled. Fittings of this type usually comprise a socket member and a nipple member having a telescoping relation with each other and with the hose. The difficulty ordinarily arises because of the fact that the nipple member, which is forced into the end of the hose, tends to force the hose out of the socket member as the nipple member is being inserted. The present invention provides a fitting in which the end portion of the hose is clamped and gripped by being expanded into tight engagement with the socket member before the nipple has been inserted into the hose far enough to cause any tendency to force the hose out of the socket member.

To describe this in more detail, the construction of a fitting embodying the invention is such that the nipple is inserted into the hose a substantial distance before the nipple engages the socket member, and such insertion of the nipple to this extent effects expansion of the hose within the socket so that the latter grips the hose rmly and prevents the hose from being forced out of the socket member as the nipple is being inserted farther and as the nipple engages the socket member. Thus, the further movement of the nipple into the hose will be prevented from moving the hose endwise relative to the socket member and proper assembly thereby results.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. l to 7, the hose is indicated at 2d and is of the type provided with a woven or braided wire reinforcement 2l. The fitting comprises a socket member 22 and a nipple member 23. The fitting herein disclosed is of the female type and hence the nipple is provided with a collar 24 having an inwardly projecting flange 25 held between a shoulder 26 on the end of the nipple and the adjacent end of the socket member 22. The collar 24 is thus rotatably mounted on the nipple 23 and is provided with internal threads 27 for attachment to an adjoining part. ri`he nipple 23 of course may be provided with an end male portion instead of the collar 24.

The socket member 22 is provided with symmetrically arranged flat faces on its exterior, in a hexagonal arrangement in the present instance so that it may be gripped by a wrench or the like. The collar 24 of course is also provided with an hexagonal exterior. The

vthe endrsurfacre of' the hose 20 is adapted to abut. VThe interior hose reeeiving portion of the. socket at both of its ends has a `diameter Ywhich is just slightly larger than the normal outsidediameter of the hose. Thus, at its inner end, the cavity Vwithin the socket member has a portion 34 ffsueh diameter at its inner end and asimilai--portion3`5 at the outer end of the socket member.V

Between Vthe.portions 34 and 35, the socket member is provided `with.internal hosergrviprpingvmeans comprising in the Ypresent instance threads 36. VThe threads 35 taper fromairninimum Vheigrhtrat both ends to a maximum height betweenthey endsas is apparent in the drawing.

' The threads 3 6 Vare preferably of opposite-handV from the threadsv32 and,Y since -it is preferred to 'make the threads 32 right-hand, the Ythreads 36 are therefore made left-hand. The hose, when it iscut 'to length, has a Y slight flare 138 ,(seeFig. 7)-on its end due to the fact that the tensionjof `the braided Wire is released at the cut end, and the flared portion 38 expands into the portion 34 of the socket. i

In the assembledrr'elation of the parts, aportion of the ho'se` isadapted to be expanded "into tight engagement with the threads 36 by the nipple and, to this end, the nipple beyond `thethreade'cl portion 32 `is` provided with a tapered'end portion37 'of such length that, when theparts are cmpletely assembled,it extends substantially to Athe ut'er'end ofthe threads 36in the socket Amembei' but Still lies spaced from the V'outer endl of the socket member, as shown in l. Thus, there isa small portion of the-hdselying between the 'end of the tapered por'- tion 37 and the extreme end of the'socket'membe'r, ad*

jacent the portion/V35 of the latter, which is neither expanded'n'or clamped.V This arrangement prevents the hose from being bent sharply at thefe'nd of the` socket mem-- ber and pr'everltsanyeutting actionbn V'the hose bythe Y socket 'member atl thatpointeresullng 'from bending Hof the hose. The extreme inner end of the hose is com- 4pressed'betwe'enthe tapered'portion'37 where the latter I meets the threaded portion V32 tion 34-'ofthe socket. t Y Y .Y Y Y The'diiiicu'lty heretofore experienced ,withV fittings of "th'is'general character isr,that, when theiextreme end of 4Vthe"tapered Vportion (37 'approaehesja ,position opposite "the threads 36, jthe compressiveh'action jon the hosebe- Ytween thetapere'd end andtheV vth1eads36tends toY force V'the hose endwise of thesocket, thu'sltending to Vmoveth'e Vend surf/ace ofthe hose awayfromthe shoulder 33V of thesgycket.v This V,tendency `to force the hose'out of the socket is accentuated becauseV of,y theffactthat, in most fittings, by the time-the end ofthe, tapered portion of the of the nipple andthe por- Anipple has reached the positionm'enti'oneithe lthreads V32 onjthe Vnipple have engaged vthe threads 31 in the flange 30 of the socket member. V4En'g'agernentof these threads 'thus holds the Vsocket memberahdnipple in predetermined 'relation Vto, each othersincerthenipple movesfrelative Yto the socket 4at a rate determined'by the, pitch of the threads Aconnecting the two parts..` This tendency to Vforce the hosejpartwayoutfof `the Ysol\:et.occ`ur`s in spite of the fafct that the threads 3'2are rightlhand threads and 'the' threads 36 are j left-hand -threads, and any rotation of ttrl'eghtseY with the nipplefasfit is being inserted into. the

' hofselwoild, because. ofV the left-'hand threads 36, Ynor- Y' ntllyY tend toffor'ce `the-hvose"fatherv intoft-heV socket. ,Howeven it Willrbe notedffrom that-at th'e'time V,that the threads 32 first engagehethreads 31, thehose Y `has-not been forced Vinto complete engagement'withthe ithreds'A. Consequently atthat-time, the threads 36 rdo' notv exert Asuiicient-llolding for'ce'on the hose topre- .'36 is being expanded tinto tight, engagement withy theseY threads so-that as the nipple approaches-its nal polsltlonr' inthe socket member and the hose, therlatter is tightly the socket.

up to that point, the socket'is not held inany predeter .Y

out of the mined position relative to the nipple by the inner-engagement of the threads 32 with the threads 31. For this part of the assembly, the endwise forces that are exerted to edect insertion of the tapered portion 37 thus far into the hose 2t) are only applied to the nipple. and the hose,

and the socket merely remains orrfloats on the exterior of the hose without any force being exerted thereon or relative thereto that would tend to forceV the hose out of the socket. The extreme'endportion of the hose being expanded into 4tight engagement with the portion 34 of the socket by the insertion of the nipple thus far, such end portion of the hose can be held against endwise movement relative to the socket.

To this end, I provide additional internal holding means in the socket in the form of an inwardly projecting annular rib 4i) located in the portion 34. Thus, since the extreme end portion of the hoseis expanded outwardly to lill the cavity defined by thev portion v34 of the 'Y socket memberby the insertion of the tapered .portion v Vof the nipple into the hoserup to the point where the cientV so that the expansion of the extreme end portion of the hose into tight engagement with VtheV rib ,40 take placenbefore the threads 32 engage'the'threads Y31. As n the nipple is inserted farther and the threads 32.are in engagement with the threads 31, theksocket member hasV a predetermined relationship with VVVthe. nipple withV the latter moving farther into the socket as the nipple is rotated. At Ythat time, in addition tothe holding Vaction of the rib 40, the portion of the horse opposite theth'reads -mains in tight engagement with the'shonlder 33 and the v maximum amount of sealing rbetween the nipple, Yhose and socketV memberY is achieved.

Y 'In the embodiment of thenvention shown in Figs. 8. to 12, the hose, indicated at 417,*is of a thicker wall type. Y

The socket member, shown at 42, is somewhat elon- VVgated, compared to the socket shownV in the former con-V struction,.and has a Vthickerjend flangey 43. The cavity V.within'the socket-member has end portions 44 and 45 which are of Aslightly larger diameter than the normal diameter of the hose 41, and between the end portions 44 and 4S is a threadedportion 46l in 'which' the threads .taper froma minimum height at both-ends to a maxi-` rthe hose along with aportion of the threads 52, as is evi- .dent in Fig. 12.` 'Y

With the type of hose K Y normal internal diameter of the hose is slightlyv less than the' external diameterof theextreme end of the tapered portion 52 of the nipple.` To facilitate insertion ofthe disclosed inthese gures, the

, inner portion 44 of the cavity in the socket.

nipple into the hose, a mandrel 53 may be used. The mandrel is of such diameter that it may be easily slid through the nipple and is provided with a rounded and tapered end 54 which can easily enter the ends of the hose when rst inserted therein.

On assembling the fitting shown in these figures, the hose of course is first placed in the socket 42 until the end surface of the hose abuts the shoulder formed by the flange 43. The threads 46 can be used to assist in forcing the hose into this position by turning the socket member relative to the hose in the proper direction so that the threads 46 tend to move the hose inwardly of the socket. The mandrel 53 is then inserted into the nipple so that the end 54 of the mandrel projects beyond the end of the nipple, as shown in the drawings. 'I'he mandrel with the nipple thereon is then placed in the central aperture of the ange 43 of the socket and the rounded end of the mandrel is inerted into the hose. As the two are moved inwardly, as soon as the tapered portion 52 of the nipple engages the interior of the hose, the latter will be expanded thereby since the diameter of the nipple is larger than the interior of the hose. The tapered portion gradually increases the expansion of the hose the farther it is inserted and, by the time the threads 50 on the nipple first engage the threads 47 on the socket as shown in Fig. 1l, the extreme end portion of the hose has been expanded suciently to subsantially lill the The end 54 of the mandrel has by this time reached the portion of the hose adjacent the threads 46 and, because the hose is compressed at that point by the threads, the mandrel has begun to expand the hose into tight engagement with the threads. The holding power of the threads 46 at that time, however, is not entirely suiiicient to prevent endwise movement of the hose relative to the socket, and an annular rib 55 is formed in the portion 44 of the socket to firmly grip the hose and prevent endwise movement. Up to that point in the assembly, the threads S on the nipple have not yet engaged the threads 47 on the socket so that the two are not held in predeterminel relation to each other. Thus, the endwise forces exerted in assembling the parts to that extent are applied only to the nipple and the hose. As the nipple is inserted farther into the hose and the threads of the nipple and socket are in engagement with each other so that a predetermined relationship exists between them, the hose is held by the annular rib 55 and cannot be forced out of the socket by the further insertion of the nipple. It will also be noted from Fig. l1, that the extreme end of the tapered portion 52 of the nipple is approaching a position opposite the end of the threads 46 at that time, so that from there on the hose is being expanded into tight engagement with thethreads 46 to hold it firmly in place. After the nipple is fully inserted to the position shown in Fig. l2, the mandrel 53 may then be withdrawn.

While in the first form of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, I have shown only the one annular rib 40 and in the second form shown in Figs. 8 to 12 only the single annular rib 55, it is of course contemplated that more than one such rib may be used if desired. In some of the larger sizes of hose, it may be desirable to place either two or three such ribs in longitudinally spaced relation to each other. The form of the ribs 40 and S5 is preferably similar to a buttress type thread, that is, a rib which has a sharper angle on the face toward the ange of the socket member than the angle of the opposite face of the rib. Such form of rib of course bites into the hose and offers substantial resistance to the movement of the hose endwise relative to the socket member.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a novel hose fitting which insures proper assembly of the fitting on the hose. Thus, the hose, as the nipple is inserted into it, is prevented from moving endwise relative to the socket member so that a tight sealing engagement is effected between the nipple and the socket. It will also be apparent that I have provided a novel method of assembling a fitting on a hose, which assures proper assembly.

I claim:

1. A hose fitting comprising a socket member and a nipple, said socket member having a hose receiving cavity open at one end of the member and having at the other end a radially inwardly extending internally threaded flange forming a shoulder adapted to abut against the end surface of the hose when the latter is inserted therein, blunt inwardly projecting circumferentially extending hose gripping means within the socket intermediate the ends thereof and of smaller internal diameter than the unstressed outside diameter of the hose to grip the exterior of the hose at an area spaced from the end of the hose, the cavity between said shoulder and said hose gripping means having a cylindrical enlarged portion extending to said shoulder to permit the end portion of the hose to expand therein when gripped between said hose gripping means and said nipple, said nipple having an end insertable through the shouldered end of the socket member into the hose and being tapered to its extremity to expand the hose and having an externally threaded portion adjoining said tapered end to engage the threaded ange of the socket member, at least one annular sharp edged rib formed intermediate the ends of said enlarged portion, spaced from said gripping means at least as far as its distance from said shoulder and adapted to grip the hose when the latter is expanded, said rib having an internal diameter greater than said hose gripping means and being located adjacent but spaced from said shoulder whereby the end portion of the hose is expanded into said enlarged portion between said shoulder and said rib and the hose is gripped by the rib when the nipple is initially inserted therein whereby the end surface of the hose is prevented from being forced away from said shoulder and further inserting movement of the nipple expands the hose into gripped engagement by said hose gripping means, said nipple being so proportioned that its tapered end expands the end of said hose into gripped engagement by said annular rib before the threads on said nipple engage the threads in said flange.

2. A hose fitting according to claim l, in which said blunt inwardly projecting means are threads with their major diameter substantially uniform and their inner diameter tapering toward each end whereby said threads have their greatest depth intermediate the ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,684,713 Norgren Sept. 18, 1928 2,266,211 Kaiser Dec. 16, 1941 2,288,684 Couty July 7, 1942 2,333,349 Weatherhead Nov. 2, 1943 2,371,971 Main Mar. 20, 1945 2,452,908 Cowles Nov. 2, 1948 2,476,480 Burckle July 19, 1949 2,485,976 Main Oct. 25, 1949 2,540,113 Hartley Feb. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,765 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1915 531,186 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1940 1,075,787 France Apr. 14, 1954 

